Someone To Protect
by xXxBubbleHubxXx
Summary: Sesshomaru ponders over the plan his Father set in motion, and how that plan came to affect both him and Rin, and he reflects on whether or not he is going to leave her in a human villiage. Will he force her to leave his side, or will he let her stay?


_**Hi me again, this is my first Inuyasha fic, so review and please be gentle, but let me know if there is anything I can fix, and don't forget, R, R, and R.**_

**Someone to Protect**

The night was young and the crescent moon was high in the sky, the moons shape matched that of the mark on the forehead of the Demon who made his camp near a small lake, the moon reflected in its shimmering waters and he caught himself staring up at it, lost in his own train of thought. The wind gently whipped about his face tossing his silver hair back and forth, his face set in what could only be considered his signature look, and at first glance at this Demon it would be impossible to tell that he was waging a war with himself.

His back rested against a sturdy tree, and he found his seating within its roots that protruded from the earth, one leg was flat and outstretched while the other was bent at the knee and his right arm rested atop of it. Off to his right a two headed dragon mount was sleeping on the soft grass and by its side slept a little girl with hair as black as midnight, and a little imp with a staff safely tucked away in his grasp.

The Demons emotionless eyes trailed over the sleeping group for a moment before he closed them and continued his train of thought, he was angry there was no denying that, his sword the Tenseiga, the sword his father had left him, was worthless. He now had the Bakusaiga, a sword not from his father but from his very own body, his left arm that he had lost in a battle to Inuyasha, he had surpassed his father, and that in itself gave him pride but nonetheless his anger still boiled.

"_Why father? Why did you give me Tenseiga only so that I could perfect the Meido Zangetsuha so that it could be given to Inuyasha?" _This line played over many times in his head, he knew the reason, but yet he still questioned it,

"_You realized that Inuyasha a half demon could not wield the power of the Meido Zangetsuha, so you entrusted it to me so that I could protect him, did you really care for him more than I?"_

An old encounter with his father played in his mind,

"_Supreme…conquest. Tell me, Sesshomaru, have you someone to protect?" _He had answered no of course, for at the time no one mattered to him at all, not humans, and not demons, he cared only for himself,

His eyes once again opened and he glanced at the sleeping group again, he did have…someone to protect.

"_It seems more than your power has rubbed off on me over the years father, which is why I cannot forgive a plan you set in motion that cost that child her life a second time." _He balled and un-balled his fists, _"If you knew I had to learn compassion why would you allow her death to reach the goal, does it not defeat the purpose!"_

Was it even his father's fault? He wasn't to know that his mother was going to send a hound from the underworld to swallow up Rin and Kohaku, Kohaku would have died too was it not for the Shikon Jewel shard in his back that sustained his life. Still the thought of Rin facing death for a second time bothered him, he would never forget the feeling he had when he knew there was no way to bring her back to life. For the first time in his life he felt as if his emotions would threaten the very spark or pride that allowed him to never shed a single tear, and yet at that time he didn't care, all that mattered was that Rin was lost to him.

He should have hit Jaken over the head for what he said about him, even though it was true, his very nature didn't allow him to shed tears, but he certainly didn't need the imp to do it for him, even if what he said brought Rin back to him. His emotions had overwhelmed and surprised him that day, not only did he feel compassion…or even love, but it was directed towards a child, a human child for that matter. What was it about this child that made him want to protect her, perhaps it was the fact that this was the only human who didn't cower and run at the sight of him, she had even seen him in his true form and yet here she still was, unwilling to leave him for a minute.

Her sadness at the thought of her having to leave him and remain in a human village while he went off to kill Magatsuhi was unbelievable, had she grown that attached to him already? Even though he showed no clear sign of his desire to keep her safe? But the decision still lingered in his mind, should he send her to a human village? There was no telling what dangers they would face on their journey, and with the path he followed there was no doubt her life would be in danger more than a few times if she remained with him.

But even now…he didn't want to leave her, he didn't want her to leave him, if he sent her away he truly would feel alone, there would be no one to protect, his thoughts would be haunted with imaginings of her being in danger while he wasn't there to protect her. He had been alone long before she came into his life, but now that he had someone that made him feel anything more than alone he didn't want to let it slip out of his grasp. Deep down he loved being…loved, by someone who accepted him as he was, the powerful, disaster wreaking, demon that he was.

So what if he chided Inuyasha for having feelings for a human female that pinned him to a tree with a spell for 50 years, now that he knew what the sensation was like he didn't care if his brother thought he was a hypocrite, he would probably just have ignored his idle prattle anyway, such was his way. He was faced with a perplexing situation however, Keep her with him and try to protect her as best he could keeping the spark inside him alive that 'felt something'. Or send her away where she 'might' be safe, and lose that feeling that he had come to accept and expect as daily life now that he had her.

The look, scent, and feeling, of her lifeless body in his arm in the underworld would haunt him for eternity he thought, he never felt so helpless before in his life, so helpless to save the one thing that meant something to him. Before power and title was all that mattered, surpassing his father didn't seemed to matter that much to him anymore as he thought on it for a moment, all that really mattered, was 'her'.

_Rin._

His head snapped up from its drooping state and his eyes grew slightly wider, he then turned his attention to the sleeping group, he heard a sound that he was sure came from Rin. He waited a moment and there it was again, and the smell of salt was on the wind, she was crying. He swiftly stood in one motion and walked over to her calmly, this was not unusual she often had nightmares of her first death, when the wolves had hunted her down and preyed on her.

He made it around A-Un and looked down at her small body, her tiny frame convulsing on sobs and turning from side to side in what could only be described as a fearful fit. He knelt on one knee beside her and placed a comforting hand on her cheek, "Rin" he called softly, he was cautious of his claws, and as soon as he touched her gently, she stopped and slowly opened her tired eyes. Her small hand soon came over his large one and she smiled, this was the way it had been for a while now, he would comfort her and all her fear would wash away as if it were never there.

Who would comfort her from her nightmares and fears if not he? He took her into his arm and stood, she rested her head against his soft fur that hung over his shoulder and he soon returned to his place at the tree he had previously been sitting at.

"Lord…Sesshomaru" Her voice was small and gentle,

"It's alright now Rin, you're safe, try to go back to sleep, we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." He said, as he turned his gave once again to the crescent moon,

She let out an audible acknowledgement and nestled herself more comfortably in his furs, and she turned on her side slightly, her small fist took up a small part of his sleeve, and he looked down at her for a brief moment, almost as if to check if she was safe, as he had proclaimed, before he once again shifted his gaze.

He allowed his eyes to slip closed even if it wasn't to sleep and eased himself back against the tree, leaning into his fur to further comfort himself, _"No." _He thought, _"For now her place is by my side, I will do what I must to protect her…I understand you now Father, this is what it is, to have someone to protect."_

**~The End~**

_**Well there you have it, I hope you liked it, and if you did please drop me a review =D**_


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